


Whatever it takes to wake you up

by madasthesea



Series: Nice work, kid [15]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hurt Peter Parker, Insomnia, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Platonic Cuddling, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, comatose Peter Parker, references to Psych
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-31 17:03:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17853623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madasthesea/pseuds/madasthesea
Summary: Tony hasn't slept in four days.Peter has been asleep for four days.





	Whatever it takes to wake you up

**Author's Note:**

> This is an older tumblr drabble that I forgot about, published for Day 3 of whumptober: insomnia

Tony hadn’t slept in four days. Well, if anyone asked him he would say that he had, because he had laid in bed and closed his eyes for an hour or so before his restless energy drove him from his room.

Peter, on the other hand, had been asleep for four days. Pale and still, attached to wires and tubes. The coma was going to break any day, the doctors assured him. He just needed time to heal.

Tony alternated between not leaving his side for hours at a time and not being able to stomach the sight of his bruised face, the lacerations on his arm, the lump of the cast on his ankle. He hadn’t gone to see Peter all day, but now a familiar itch was building under his skin and his feet turned him toward the medbay.

No one was there, and Tony realized distantly how late it must be if even May had retired to bed. The lights were dim, as if letting Peter sleep, and Tony thought hazily that he should turn them all on, as bright as they would go, so the kid would finally wake up.

He walked hesitantly to the bed, his stomach dropping like it did every time he saw Peter. The bruises were still as dark as ever.

Tony stood for a long moment, unsure of what to do next. The itch was still there and he knew that just sitting and staring at his unmoving kid all night would not relieve it.

When Peter had nightmares, Tony would wake him up and sit with him, and then when he was ready to go back to sleep, Tony would slip under the covers and lay down next to him.

Tony was living his nightmare right now. Was it really so different?

Slowly, as if trying not to startle Peter, Tony toed his shoes off and climbed onto the bed. He didn’t bother with the thin hospital blanket, just settled on top of it as he stretched out alongside Peter’s still form.

The metal railing dug into Tony’s back, and the kid that usually melted into Tony’s side the second he touched him didn’t move a muscle, but when Tony had finally situated himself, he felt the itch subside.

Tony sighed. “Look what you’ve brought me to, Pete,” Tony whispered into Peter’s ear. “Sneaking into a hospital bed like those crappy soap operas you and May watch.”  

Tony sniffed, reached up and wiped at his prickling eyes. “Come on. I’m not sleeping tonight, and we need something to wake  _you_ up,” he said, emphasizing the ‘you’ with a gentle poke to Peter’s side, one that would usually make Peter squeak in surprise. “So, FRIDAY, queue up Psych, please.”

The TV on the opposite wall lit up, the episode Peter and Tony were meant to watch next starting.

“Wait, wait,” Tony said, quickly. “Take it back a season, FRI. We… we don’t want Peter missing anything.”

The episode changed, skipping back to one they’d already seen. Tony tried to settle into the thin mattress to get comfortable, but the rail was still digging into his back. Tony thought for a moment, cataloging Peter’s injuries.

“Should be safe to move you a bit,” he mused aloud, as he wriggled one arm under Peter’s shoulders and lifted him until Tony could slide further onto the bed. He carefully draped Peter’s weight against his chest, leaned the boy’s head onto his shoulder. “Besides, we all know how clingy you are, maybe all you need to wake up is a good cuddle.”

Tony pressed his cheek against Peter’s unwashed hair, tangled their free hands together. The upbeat Psych theme song started up and Tony turned his attention to the screen, tracing absent patterns against Peter’s arm as he watched.

The show wasn’t as funny without Peter’s comments. That and the steady, if shallow and mechanic, breathing next to him, lulled Tony to sleep without him being aware of it.

He woke up when he got an elbow in the stomach.

“Ow,” he complained, and then realized just who it was that elbowed him. His eyes flew open.

Peter was squinting up at him, looking vaguely confused.

“I had a weird dream about pineapples,” Peter mumbled.

“ _Peter_ ,” Tony breathed, trapping the kid’s face in his hands. “Oh my gosh, you’re awake.”

“Yeah. And I can’t believe you’re watching Psych without me,” Peter said, shifting further into Tony’s side, just like he always did.

“Old episodes,” Tony assured, his voice surprisingly thick.

Peter hummed, laying his head on Tony’s chest. Tony pressed a long kiss to Peter’s head.

“We can turn on a new one if you promise to stay awake,” Tony whispered. Peter looked up at him, understanding coloring his features.

“I promise.”  

They both settled back down, Tony’s heart twisting with joy every time he felt Peter shift next to him, his hand warm in Tony's palm.

Peter kept his word and stayed awake for the whole episode. Tony, finally, fell asleep.


End file.
